Currently there are over 120 million diabetics world-wide. By 2025 the number is estimated to be already about 300 million. For example, in Finland about 4 percent of the population have diabetes. Diabetes is divided into juvenile diabetes (Type I) and adult onset diabetes (Type II).
Diabetes has a heavy effect on the everyday life of a diabetic. Especially persons with juvenile diabetes must, in order to maintain sugar balance, in addition to constantly monitoring their diet take care that their insulin intake corresponds to their diet and consumption. Should there be deviations between the amount of sugar consumed with food and the amount of insulin intake, the blood sugar values of a diabetic can vary on a wide scale, as the body can't use the sugar. A constantly too high a sugar value can lead to, for example, accumulation of sugar in the fats and proteins of the body, which can cause organic changes in, for example, eyes, kidneys and nerves as well as in heart and blood circulation. In an insulin shock, on the other hand, the glucose content of blood drops to a very low level and the person can become unconscious. In order to avoid these drawbacks, it is recommended that diabetics constantly monitor their blood sugar, many times per day.
A number portable devices have been developed for measuring blood sugar content. What is traditionally used is a separate needle pen by means of which the skin is pierced, a sensor strip on which the blood sample is placed and a separate measurement device. The individually packed strip is manually placed in the opening in the meter. Such a measurement device is difficult to transport and use. A relatively large carrying pouch is needed, from which the various elements must be taken out and used in a multi-step measurement operation. According to a survey (United States Food and Drug Administration, FDA, http://www.fda.gov/diabetes/glucose.html) users do not feel taking the blood sample is a problem, but instead the need for a number of components and the fact that such a measurement is difficult to carry out unnoticed by others, are felt to be problems by the users.
Meters with sensor strips stored in an internal magazine in the device, from which the strip is taken out for the measurement, have also been developed. Strip magazines are disclosed in, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,575,403, 5,510,266 and 5,489,414.
Strips arranged as belts are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,421 and European patent 1360935. In the former, a number of strips arranged next to each other are transported one after the other in a roll to roll method, and in the latter the strips include both a needle element and a meter element. In the latter, the strip is protected by a protective layer that is removed from the belt of strips when the strip is removed from the device. The strip belt itself is returned to a roll inside the device.
Published application WO 03/83469 discloses a pistol-like device with a lancet device arranged thereto and a number of test strips in stack form. The lancet device can be cocked by means of a switch arranged on the side of the device and the strips can be pushed from the device one at a time. The end of the lancet can be protected by a cap that can be removed from the device. The device also comprises measurement electronics and a display for showing the results of the analysis.
The published US application 2003/191415 discloses a device bringing the strip automatically to the blood sample, the drawing of which can be amended with vacuum. A separate lever is installed in the housing of the device for preparing the device for use.
The published US application 2004/003903 and WO publication 03/071940 disclose wristwatch-like devices containing a number of lancets and sensor elements arranged radially. A lancet corresponds to each sensor. As the measurement devices are personal and typically one needle of a lancet can be used many times, it is difficult to reason the use of multiple lancets. Manufacturing such a device will inevitably be expensive and its structure is complex. Additionally, especially in case of the former application, hygienic problems are a drawback, because as the finger is pressed directly against the device, the blood sample can easily be in contact with the outer surface of the device.
A mobile phone (LG KP8400) having an opening in the side for a test strip used for measuring blood sugar is known. The electronics of the phone are used in analysing the strip. The device does not contain a lancet device.
DE publication 19819407 and WO publication 2005/032372 disclose twin-hub cassettes in which the sensor strip can be transported from one hub to the other. A new sensor area is exposed by pulling so that a blood sample can be applied thereto. Such cassettes are inevitably rather large and so they can not be used in very small health monitoring devices. In the use of such devices, transporting the used strip back to the device and storing it is unhygienic and unpleasant. Blood can also stain the inner surface of the device in the used strips' compartment. A continuous strip does not allow separating unused strips from used ones, either. Such a separation is necessary, as the enzymes of normal strips are deteriorated by the influence of oxygen and moisture.
In the above-mentioned prior art solutions the exit opening of the strip and/or the lancet is unprotected. Thus, the meter must be kept in, for example, a pouch or a case for preventing soiling and accumulation of dust of the strip opening and/or the lancet. Separate strips are hermetically packed, usually individually or in a sealed box. The strip cassettes can also tightly enclose the strips, but even in this case dirt can get into the device from the opening of the strip and the lancet. Known devices are also relatively large. However, as this is a case of daily health monitoring carried out many times per day, there is a need for small, simple and reliable devices, the use of which does not draw attention.